Vehicle



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Aug. 4, 1925.

B. HALL VEHICLE Fild July 5. 1924 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE.

Application filed July- 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PORTER B. HALL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Carringtori, in the county of Foster and State of North 'Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicles, of which the following is a specification. 7.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicles for children, more particularly to a childs vehicle of that class to which coasterwagons belong, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

Anobject of the invention is to improve the construction ofavehicle of the character described which affords facilities for transmitting motion to the wheels of the vehicle and for the steering of the vehicle so that the improved 'vehicle'can be pulled through the use of a pivotedhandle bar when desired or the pivoted'handle bar can be tiltedrearwardly over the body of the vehicle and-conveniently manipulated by the user of the vehicle to efi'e'ctsteering of the vehicle when the latter is used in coasting.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle of the character described having a single steering wheel attached to the body of the vehicle for bodily movement about a vertical axis together with a sectional handle bar which is. at

tached to themeans for attaching the steering wheel to the body of the vehicle and which is adapted to be maintained substantially rigid throughout its lengthwhen'extended forwardly of the vehicle for usein pulling the latter and at the same timeis adaptedtoflbe tilted rea-rwardly over the vehicle body for use in steering the'vehicle during coasting, the handle andthe means for attaching the steering wheel to the body having cooperative elements tending to prevent accidental turning of the steering wheel about the said verticalaxis when the steering wheel comes in contact with a protuberance or like object on the surface which is traversed by thev'ehicle. l

A still further object of the invention is to providea vehicle having a novel arrangement of cooperative box and body members together. .with cooperative means carried by the box and the body member whereby the box can be detachably secured in place on the body, member or dismounted from the body member as desired to vary the carrying arcuately curved front. edge 5. bolster 6 extends transversely of the body 1924. Serial No. 724,390.

capacity of the vehicle or for adapting the vehicle for use for any one of a plurality of purposes. 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved vehicle,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vehicle.

- Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle with the Wagon box omitted,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the vehicle,

Figureo is a transverse vertical section, the view being taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the handle bars, the view being taken substantially along the line 66 of Figure 7 Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the front or steering bolster, the means for pivotelly attaching the steering bolster to the body of the vehicle and the handle bar, the latter beingshown in full lines tilted rearwardly on the body of the vehicle for coasting and in dotted lines extended forwardly of the body of the vehicle,

of FigureS,

showin the meeting ends of sections of the handle ar.

A vehicle embodying the invention comprises a body 1 which may be a fiat plate having the side edges thereof extending in parallel relation from their juncture with the rear edge 2 of the body for the greater part of their length as indicated at 3 and then converging, for the remainder of their length as indicated at. 4' and being merged at their forward ends into a rounded or 1 adjacent to the rearward end of the latter v-and is secured to the body in any suitable known manner as, through .the use of the brackets 7 'andiscrews 8, the brackets 7 also serving to staythe rear bolster to the body. A rear axle 9 is secured to the bolster 6 atthe lower end of the latter by straps 10 and extends laterally of opposite ends'of the bolster 6. Wheels 11 are mounted onthe/ extending end portions of the axles 9 forv rotation about the axisof the rear axle.

The body 1 is supported adjacent to its for- Ward end upon a single steering wheel 12.

Figure 9 is a section alongthe line 99 A rear- Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view.

arms of a frame which is of substantially; V inverted U-shape.

web portion or front bolster which is made This frame comprises a up of an intermediate section 16 and a pair of side sections 17 which respectlvelyare disposed at opposite sides of the intermediate.

4 ofthe sect1onsf2 and 28 are eomplenientarily section 16 and clamp the upper end ,portions'of thearms 15 against the lateral faces of the intermediate section, the lateral sections of the front bolster andithe upper end portions of the arms 15 being secured together to move as'a unit by suitable fastens ingdevices, such asscrews 18. a

The intermediate section of the front bolster is provided-at its center with a verticalopening through which a king bolt 19 extends, the king bolt being held against axial movement in respect to the front bolster by suitable devices such as nuts 20. v

A bearing plate 21 is secured to the body 1 against the under side of the forward end portion thereof by screws 22 and has a central opening in alignment with a central- :tion of the body and .is held against axialmovement in respect to the vertical opening throughzthe forward end portion of the body by the upper nut' and Ba nut 23vwhichengagesrthe king .bolt and-is received in i a Acounterbore in the upper face of the .v foriward endportion Dftl16 b0dh iThe king. boltgi'ex tends above-the plane of the. upperface of D cated by the dotted lines inl rgureb8,where the body and has the, upper end portion thereof enlarged and roundedwas indicated Vehicle be steered i a pp ing I ure face.

The intermediate section 16 0f the] front bolster has the forward end portion thereof 1 reduced in widthzand arranged to extend be;- yond the 1 forward edgeof {the vehicle body as indicatedat'25. The lower face'of each forward portion 25 preferablyis flush with tion 16 :but the upper faceofthe portion-25 is offset downwardly adjacent to its forward The handle comprises a relatively long rigid haveaxial recessestherein as indicated at 27- and '28 respectively for the reception of -.of the section 28. Italso will be seen: by

a a V straight forward movement-Iofitheivehicle.

With the arrangementjust described, the wheel12 will be mounted for rotation about the axis of the-front axle13 and also will be mounted for bodily turningmovement about the axis ofvthe king bolt 119,1 whereby" the.

tion 2 10f ,the king bolt but is of-greaterfi area than the cross sectional-area of the=*-i shank ofthe king bolt adja'cent"totheen theend portions of a rigid connecting link i 29. One end portion of thelconnectmg-tlmk 29 is held against displacement from position in the recess 27? by a fastening element 30 and a transverse pivot element3l holds the other-end portion of the link 29 against axial movement in the recess 28. It will be observed by'referringto Figure 10 that the recess 28 is open at the normally underside referring :to 'Fi ure 8 that the meetingends curved so that the section-127 may swing L about theaxis of the :pivot'member 31 in one direction from axial alignment. with the section 28 but will beih'eldi beca'useof the contact of the meetingends of the sections 27 and '28 with eachgoth'er andthe contact of thelink 29 with the-bottom wall ofthe recess 28 from swingingdn: the opposite se directio'n-about'the axis ofwthei ivotlelement i 31 11 0111{LXlZtlflllgIlHlGIltWlth t 1G S8CtlOIIi28-mk Apair ,of, fiat ilinks 32 arefidisposed in 11 straddling relation; to ,thereduced-portion 25 0f the intermediate section 16 :of the -00 front bolster ajndhth'e adjacent end portion 3 of .the section-2S of the handle; bar, Thelz .links' 32 are connected to=;thesection 28 by; i a,

a horizontal pivot elementz33 fand are 'pivot- H a aall-y, connected to the reduced portion 25 0f,

the front bolster by al-horizontalwpivot ele-a, ment 34twhich" is disposed rearwardly: of, the inner end of the shoulderi26. i a a A, transverse stop. menibera35pw=hicha 8X1 1 tends between the respeotive" links 32 inter mediate their ends is adapted to engageswith the shoulder 26 when the links 132 haivebeen swung: downwardly;fromahe fulllline post i. tion 70f Fignre8 to theplane of the intermea diateisection 16 ofthe front bolster as iindiwios by a pull on the handle bar will I-CfiIlSGiiii The. section- 28 of the handle is provided: in a handle is extended at the front of i the? a of the vehicle withwa recess 36: whichlisioov eredzby. :a plate 37- having: an hole isloti38 therein. :Theikey holeaslot 38:;extendsilongi-w i 1 i atudinal'ly of the plate :37 and has enlargedulw portions 38 and=38 respectively? at; the oppo-w 'site'ends thereof, the walls iof the enlarged portions being arcuatelyj curved andithe Jen: larged portion: 38 being of greater area than P the enlarged portion-383 1* The enlargedpor 12 tioni 38 of the keyhole slot is:proxi inate to the lower faceoftheremainder of the: see

the end of the section 28 whichis connected" to the links 32 and is of suflic'ient' area-to per -mit the en1arged' head 24' of thelring bolt to end to provide ma horizontal shoulder "26.

The enlarged portion 38* is of less areathan f the cross sectional area-of the enlarged por- 13 the face thereof that is uppermost when thetllilo i.

larged portion 24, whereby the handle can be swung laterally in either of opposite di- 36 inwardly from the enlarged portion 38 of the slot.

Fromthe foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The vehicle can be drawn conveniently andeasily when the handle hasbeen swung fromthe full line position of Figure 8 toward the dottedline position of the same figure. When the handle is in the dotted. line positionof Figure 8, the sections 27 and 28 will remain in axial alignment and will constitute what .in effect will be a rigidhandle so long as the pull on the outerend ofthe section 27 is in a forward or slightly upward direction. WVhen desired, the sections 27 and 28 may be swung rearwardly over the body of the vehicle toward the full line position of Figure 8,the section 28 then may be placed in en agement with the upper end portion of the (ing bolt and the outer or free end of the section 27 may be swung upwardly aboutthe axis of the pivot element 31 until the section 27 is in position to be conveniently manipulated by a child who is supported on the body of the vehicle when the vehicle is used in coasting. Since the steering device which is included in the vehicle comprises but a single wheel which is located directly beneath the lower end of the king bolt and since the inner section of the handle is engaged with the upper end portion of the king bolt as well as being connected by means of the links 32 and the steering bolster with the lower end portion of the king bolt, it will be manifest that the vehicle is not likely to swerve or to be turned fro-m the direction in which it is being steered because of the action on the steering wheel of any obstruction which is encount ered by the steering wheel during the passage of the vehicle over a supporting surface.

Also, it will be obvious that the vehicle can be easily and accurately steered when the vehicle is used for coasting and the handle is in the position best seen in Figure 8 since the handle then will serve as a lever and the axis about which the lever will be swung in steering the vehicle, namely the axis of the king bolt 19 will be located nearer to the user of the vehicle than is the case in coaster vehicles provided prior to my invention of which I am aware.

When it is desired to use the vehicle for transporting articles which probably would not remain on the fiat body 1 during the movement of the vehicle on a supporting surface, the capacity of the vehicle for carrying articles may be enlarged by placing a frame or wagon box thereon. The frame or wagon box is substantially rectangular in horizontal sectional contour and comprises a pair of side members 39 connected together and held in spaced parallel relation by a pair of end members 40. The width of the wagon box is approximately the same as that of the wider portion of the body 1 and the length of the wagon box is slightly greater than the length of the wider portion of the body 1.

Spacing members 41 having a thickness the side walls of the tapering portion of the body 1 which are overlapped by the forward end portions of the side members 39 of the wagon box when the latter is disposed upon the body in the position shown in Figures 1,

' same as that of the body '1 are provided at 2, 4 and 5. The spacing members 41'are stayed-to the side members 39 by angle.

braces 42 which have arms extending transversely of the wagon box beyondthe inner edges of the spacing members 41 as indicated at 43 to underlie and engage with the marginal edge portion of the body 1, the spacing members 41 and the tapering portion of the body having the adjacent edges thereof complementarily beveled to closely contact each other along the entire length of the inner edge of each spacing member. The wagon box also is provided at the rearward corners thereof with vertical locking members which are angular in horizontal sectional contour and which depend below the plane of the lower end of the wagon box as indicated at 45 in Figure 1. With the arrangement just described, it will be manifest that the wagon box will be held securely, although releasably, against displacement from the body 1 when the wagon box has been moved rearwardly upon the body 1 until the projections 43 are in engagement with the under side of the tapering portion of the body, the inner edges of the spacing members 41 are in close abutting relation to the lateral edges of the tapering portion of the body 1 adjacent to the juncture of the latter with the relatively wide portion of the body 1 and the rearward end portion of the wagon box has been moved downward until the pendant locking projections 45 embrace the rear corner portions of the body 1. In order to dismount the wagon box from the body 1, it only is necessary to lift the rearward end of the wagon box until the projections 45 disengage the body 1 and to then shove the wagon box forward until the horizontal projections 43 disengage the under face of the body 1. The wagon box will not interfere in any way with the use of the handle for steering the vehicle during coasting and can be kept on the body 1 permanently, if desired.

I claim 1-- 1-. InIavehiele, abody, a bolster,-a.king

bolt p-ivotally attaching the bolster I to the:

body adjacent 'to the forward end and inter.-

and equi-distant' fro n the axial 'line of the king' 'bo'lt, a'steering-wheel supported. be-x .end, a substantially rectangular frame adaspti- 3 tween. said J arms for rotation about a :horizontal axis, said bolster havinga portion reduoed in-Widthextending forwardly of the front end: of the ;;body,' and a handle attached to the reduced endportion-of said; bolster andeomprising a plurality ofrrigidsectionspivotally connectedtogether ina longitudinal series, adjacent sections'having 1 tain position ion the body, a pailofslMob-ill? L. membersextending. on lt-he under -faoes o relative-swinging movement about horizontal axes, said king bolt extending at its up per end abovetheplaneof said 'body to provide a-fu'lorum forrsaidhandle:when; the lat-W ter is in ipositionxto extend rearward-1y :upon

said 'bodybeyond the front end ofthe latter; the upper, end port-ionofsaid king bolt be-J ingenlarged and rounded, and a section of able withthe enlargedauppier tiendiportion 0h 18b the h king :bolt 'to hold the lattrwgainstvdim 1 placement fromsaid cavity awhile'mermitth lateral swinging Pmoveme'nt: mfwtheamale a about the axis of said king bo'lt.

2. In'a vehicle ofthewchamcter described? a flat :plate i-likei body ("supported onufwheelw l said body.v tapering in Width at its: iormril ed to be superimposed pu'porr said -'body, -said;- frame being of "greater width atiits forward flnn end than :thebody; spaoingxme'mbers extend :ing inwardly from the? dorward end wportionsa of the side members ofrtheframe ionengagw ing with theside Walls 0f vthe itaperingapomw tion of. thebodyfwhen said framo'is i-n moor II said spacing members Pbeyond theiinnem i a of the latter: and a pairz 'of othen latching 11; members secured" onssaid flame atr-itsemrwbb Ward end to depend below theiplaine of ther" lower end :of the frame, all -ofisaid law i members being adapted toqengage with:

body ,iwhen the j frame is in; said Certain: i

tion on the body to :=hold;-the ifi'mi accidental displacement-strumitllevbodyw 1 J i PQRTLER T 

